This is the perfect warm and comforting dairy-free vegetarian/vegan dish for a cold NY night!

I don’t eat rice very often because I have a very slow metabolism and well rice just doesn’t do well when you have a slow metabolism! Lots of my clients have either a love or a hate relationship with curry but I encourage you to try it. I didn’t love them years ago but I do now! They are very comforting and grounding especially in the winter months they are perfect because we need to incorporate more warming foods! Both the inflammatory spices of ginger and turmeric in this dish help with inflammation and are good for your gut as well!

Let me know in the comments if you try the recipe what you think!! I would love to hear your results! The recipe is super easy and comes together so quickly – my kind of recipe! It’s easily a mid-week meal!

Coconut bacon seems to be very popular these days and my next post may be just that but I think more with a breakfast type food. I actually bought the coconut I needed because that was my intention when I went to the store. I’m so intrigued that you can turn coconut into bacon and I needed to taste it! Now that I think of it I don’t know why I would think “why wouldn’t that be the norm” you can turn coconut into almost anything these days without it truly tasting like a coconut ~ aka coconut aminos, coconut vinegar (my favorite and actually has more benefits than apple cider vinegar). Neither of these taste like coconut and are good for you!!

So lets get to the yummy shiitake bacon – that’s what I’ve created here. It truly does taste like bacon and has a similar texture as well. It was the perfect topping to my spaghetti squash with spinach & tomato – it made the recipe so much more flavorful. The best part is it took no time to make. You can make it in like 5-10 minutes which is less than what real bacon takes.

Ingredients

Shitake Mushroom Bacon

15ozsliced shiitake mushroom package

4tbspavocado oil

1tspsmoked paprikaheaping

1/2tspHimalayan pink saltfine grated

1/2tsp Hickory liquid smoke(found in spice section)

Instructions

Roasting the Squash

Preheat oven to 385. Slice you squash in half lengthwise. Scoop of the seeds/middle with an ice cream scooper for easy removal. Drizzle Extra Virgin Oil over the flesh. Roast squash flesh side down for approximately 30 minutes or until the skin is soft when pressed.

Shitake Bacon

While the spaghetti squash is roasting, Mix the avocado oil, smoked paprika, liquid smoke and salt together in a bowl. Large enough to toss the mushrooms in (I used a 1/2 aluminum tray).

Spread out on a large rimmed baking sheet that is lined with parchment or a non-stick foil. Roast on 385 degree preheated oven (convection if you have or bake is fine) - top rack. Bake for approximately 10 minutes or until starting to crisp being careful not to burn. Cool on the baking sheet.

Putting it all together:

While the spaghetti squash and mushrooms are roasting. Sauté the onion and tomatoes in a little extra virgin olive oil on the stovetop in a non-stick pan over med-high heat. Add the garlic last and saute for just a little longer.

When the squash is cooled to touch, take a fork and scrape one half of the squash into the pan. Add spinach and stir until wilted. Add Himilayan pink salt to taste.

Transfer the squash mixture to a bowl and top with the shiitake mushrooms and serve.

Roasted Dandelion Root is the perfect restorative tonic to support your liver and help get it in optimal functioning shape. The liver is so taxed from our everyday environment, household cleaning chemicals, poor diet, etc. Not only does the liver detoxify it also helps convert T4 (inactive thyroid hormone) to T3 (active thyroid hormone). If your thyroid is sluggish it’s something to consider cleaning up the function of your liver besides just looking at your thyroid for optimal functioning.

Roasted Dandelion is bitter which is what the liver loves to help clean it up – bitter foods/herbs! Other plants/herbs that are bitter and helps support liver function are the dandelion greens itself, asparagus, arugula, kale, cilantro, parsley, milk thistle, to name a few. Adding these foods to your diet will help support your liver.

In this latte, I’ve used the dandelion root itself and turned it into a powder to make the latte. Using roots keeps it fresher for long term storage vs. buying the powder. You can also make dandelion tea by steeping the root. It is actually a good replacement for coffee as well. You can purchase dandelion root tea right at your local grocery store. The roots and other herbs I buy from a reputable supplier such as Mountain Rose Herbs.

Ingredients

Instructions

In your high speed blender (or regular blend) add ingredients and blend it all up until frothy. Enjoy.

Recipe Notes

I like to buy roasted dandelion root in its whole form and make powder in a high speed blender (you can use a spice grinder or nutribullet to do this as well) instead of purchasing it in powder form for optimal effectiveness as well as freshness. Unless you plan on using the powder within a short time.

Good-bye summer! Good bye beach, bbq’s, cookouts, parties and all the other fun and indulgences that go along with summer! Let’s embrace a new season and start with a fresh clean slate.

I like to do that with letting my digestion rest so it can work at optimal levels and detox naturally – with food.

It’s a good idea to cleanse your body at least two times per year. Even with eating a very clean diet our environment is filled with toxins all around us. In spring, our bodies naturally detox on its own more than any other season. I guess that’s why, as human beings, we also like to do spring cleaning in our homes to detoxify our environment! But after just a few extra indulgences during summer it can certainly send our bodies into a downward spiral.

So, it’s the perfect time to get your bodies back into eating a bit more clean and healthy. Just as we like to start things on Mondays, we also like to start new things when seasons change. We tend to get more organized, structured and in a routine as September rolls around. Especially with the kids back in school. It also gets your mind, body and spirit in line with a healthier you before the holidays are upon us. This way you won’t want to over eat, drink or indulge in desserts that are loaded with refined sugar. Imagine getting a head start on a healthier you finishing the year strong and going into 2018 with a healthier you!

Start with this yummy detox salad!

Incorporating these types of food in your daily regimen helps your body naturally cleanse, rebuild, detoxify and thrive. This specific salad is alkalizing and has ingredients that help your body naturally detox. Here’s the low down on each ingredient:

Cabbage – It is an excellent source of vitamin K and C, along with being a good source of fiber, manganese, folate, vitamin B6 and potassium. It is particularly noted for being a powerful cleanser of the GI tract and is anti-inflammatory.

Kale – is high in vitamin K, A and vitamin c and also high in chlorophyll which is great for the cleansing the blood. It’s also a natural antioxidant and anti-inflammatory as well.

Carrots – high in vitamin A (from beta-cartotene), C, B6, K and potassium. Carrots also are rich in glutathione which helps detoxify the liver. It’s an all around good cleanser and best to eat them raw in their natural state.

Cilantro – is rich in flavonoids and and phytonutrients. It also is loaded with vitamins A, C, E, K, calcium, iron, potassium, and magnesium. It’s a natural detoxifier of heavy metals in your body.

Lime – has so many cleansing and nutritional benefits! It is loaded with vitamin C. It also has calcium, iron, potassium, copper, magnesium and phosphorous. Also the zest or peel is rich in phytochemicals. Limes help detoxify the liver. Helps with weight loss, improves digestion, treatment of scurvy, piles, peptic ulcer, respiratory disorders, gout, gums, urinary disorders.

This has been a long time favorite soup of mine for years despite that it may not look that appetizing in color. The best part is it’s so simple to make. I often leave out the asparagus tips and just puree the entire soup. Mainly because I love to sip this in a mug as a mid-day snack or with my lunch.

I’ve been cleansing for a few weeks and this is the perfect soup for it! Did you know that asparagus is a vegetable that is a great cleanser for your body naturally? Yes it is! It is a great diuretic, helping in the cleansing process and lifting the detox load of the liver and kidneys.

Here’s some great health benefits from this beautiful spring vegetable:

It’s a rich source of glutathione, a detoxifying compound that helps break down carcinogens and other harmful compounds like free radicals. This is why eating asparagus may help protect against and fight certain forms of cancer, such as bone, breast, colon, larynx and lung cancers.

Helps slow down the aging process due to it’s high antioxidant properties and neutralizing cell-damaging radicals.

It contains the amino acid asparagine which is a natural diuretic, and increased urination not only releases fluid but helps rid the body of excess salts. Good for edema and high blood pressure!

It contains vitamins A, C, E and K as well as has lots of fiber, folate and chromium, a trace mineral that enhances the ability of insulin to transport glucose from the bloodstream into cells.

Asparagus contains asparagusic acid, among other compounds, that gives urine that unique odor. Have you ever noticed it? It literally can happen within 15 minutes of eating it. Its compounds are volatile and released as a vapor through the urine. However, apparently not everyone can smell it and that is because everyones sense of smell is unique to themselves as well as the ability to produce the odor. Interesting!!

Okay, enough about asparagus pee ~ eat asparagus because it so good for you!

Take asparagus out with a slotted spoon and add stock (a little at a time) to blend in high speed blender or regular blender until smooth and creamy (you may not need all the stock depending on the consistency you prefer (reserve juice and drink it up in a mug if you want). Add Himilayan pink salt (about 1+ tsp) and fresh cracked pepper to taste. Enjoy!

If you are adding asparagus tips to your soup, blanch them for just about 30 seconds (add to already boiling water, than in ice cold water to retain color, remove with slotted spoon). Add them to your soup before eating.

Notes

for future and if you tolerate dairy, you may add a dollup of organic plain yogurt to the mix while blending for added flavor but it is perfect the way it is.

This has been my go-to breakfast lately! Who knew breakfast could be so creamy but delicious, healthy and satisfying while being dairy-free! I have been really enjoying this! It all started when I was cleansing a few weeks ago and decided to have this over a smoothie. Smoothies in the morning are great especially on the days I chef. However, I become “smoothied-out” sometimes especially after years of drinking smoothies. Plus there is something to be said about chewing your food. Digestion starts in the mouth when you chew your food. The enzymes amylase and lipase are released which starts the digestion process.

When you are eating healthy you just feel better, think better, move better and your body runs better! Try this delicious and satisfying breakfast it’s so light and refreshing as well as gluten-free and dairy-free! Berries are packed with antioxidants and lower on the Glycemic Index! Ideally fruit should be eaten alone so another plus to have this first thing in the morning.